Anecdotal evidence of urban sprawl, renewable energy uptake, deforestation and bleached corals are all over our newsfeeds and social-media channels. Yet to date, demonstrating the drivers and consequences of planetary change on a global and local level simultaneously has been difficult to do.

That’s set to change with the launch of EarthTime. This online, open-source geospatial tool allows a user to zoom into any location on the planet and see changes to the surface of the Earth since 1984. By layering 300 geospatially tagged and peer-reviewed data sets over this satellite layer, the platform brings to life systems in transition through time, all the way up to the present moment.

In celebration of Earth Day, the Carnegie Mellon University, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, are launching a new website to make this data available to all. Now, it's possible to explore expert analyses that connect humanity and the planet:

The rise and fall of forests

Explore some of the principle drivers of deforestation, and its impact on forests and efforts to protect the lungs of the planet: